Current lock cylinders and mating keys often wear from repeated use or may be otherwise damaged and need to be replaced. This problem is especially evident in the area of automotive ignitions. A problem arises with replacement of the lock cylinder in an automotive ignition or other similar application when the original key includes other functions such as opening doors, the trunk lid or windows. Furthermore, the original key maybe digitally coded to other automobile applications or anti-theft systems.
Current lock cylinders that can be rekeyed involve disassembly and re-assembly of internal components by a skilled user or are one-time only assemblies with no means to verify additional copies of the original key are functional after a rekeying procedure. Examples of prior attempts at solving the problems with the prior art are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,589,153; 6,860,131; 7,007,528; 7,140,213; 7,213,429; 7,634,930; and 8,161,783.
There exists a need for a simplified self-learning lock assembly that enables the reuse of the original key when replacing a defective lock cylinder.